From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Fri Aug 07 2009 - 00:46:29 EDT
The American Chronicle
Eritrea in the Limelight
USī Unacceptable Abuse of Power!
August 06, 2009
by Berhane Alazar
"There we go again" used to be one of the favorite phrases the late
President Ronald Reagan use to say when he kept on hearing what he
considered to be some unfounded allegations against his administrationīs
policy or actions. And that was precisely what popped up in my mind when
I heard some media reports on how the current Secretary of State, Ms.
Hillary Clinton, was threatening Eritrea with yet again some unspecified
hostile action.
Never mind the question on who gave the US the right to be the judge and
prosecutor of the community of nations. Never mind the nauseating double
standard by which the US routinely operates. Never mind also the fact
the US itself is guilty of supporting directly or indirectly many
despots whose regimes have caused untold humanitarian crises around the
world. Never mind all that and more. The burning question is what part
of "Eritrea does not provide weapons to any Somali resistance groups",
Ms. Clinton and the ever hostile State Department officials do not
understand?
Madam Secretary, one canīt squeeze blood from a turnip. Similarly, you
and your administration are not going to find Eritrea guilty of anything
she has not committed, no matter how you spin the issues. I am not going
through the boring details of the non existent accusations that are
routinely leveled against Eritrea for many people, including this
writer, have previously attempted to nullify the obnoxious and
unsubstantiated allegations that have been thrown at Eritrea and its
government. Suffice is to state that Eritrea has for the umpteen times
stated that it does not provide or act as transit of arms and munitions
to any of the fighting forces in Somalia in spite of the repeated and
unfounded accusations thrown at her by some phantom groups with no
discernable credibility.
The proof is in the pudding Madam Secretary. If you and or your
informants have any tangible proof, I am sure you wouldnīt have
hesitated to gleefully present it for all to see as a wining athlete
would proudly show off his trophy. Where is the beef Ms. Clinton? I
think it about time that you educate us of your mysterious findings or
spare us this endless argument that Uncle Sam knows it all nonsense.
Anyone can discredit anyone else at whim. But, the question is why does
the US find it convenient to continuously and arrogantly blackmail,
demonize and taunt Eritrea? Could it be perhaps that the US has been on
record working against the hard won independence of Eritrea since the
1940s, which was achieved through blood and sweat of the Eritrean people
against all odds? Could it possibly be that the US has been turning a
blind eye when it comes to the abuse and human misery the Eritrean
people suffered under previous and current Ethiopian regimes all at the
watchful eye of Washington and UN Security Council? Could it be because
the US has forfeited its moral authority by refusing to abide by its
commitment to see to it that Ethiopia implement the internationally
arbitrated Ethio/Eritrea border ruling when the latter has clearly lost
the EEBC verdict?
As one member Somali parliament told Aljazeera from Nairobi that the
"Somali government" should seek good relationship with Eritrea for, in
his view, the Eritreans could help Somalia and the Somali people. He
further added, "It is crucial to have understanding with countries like
Kenya and Eritrea. Putting pressure on Eritrea is not going to stop the
fighting in Somalia. It might even exacerbate the already bad
situation".
Washingtonīs unreasonable and unwarranted threats against harmless, but
principled Eritrea leave many more questions than answers unbefitting
and unworthy of a Superpower, which one would expect it to know better
than to tragically wielding the stick. For heavens sake, if the folks at
the State Department are antsy for a fight, please pick somebody your
size. Eritrea is not interested in any kind of shenanigans or tit for
tat child play with anyone not least with the US. All she cares is to
try its level best to improve the lot of its people; and to offer its
moral support for all oppressed people who are struggling to better
themselves, rid of foreign domination and stand on their own feet
nothing more and nothing less; and the case of Somalia is no exception.
In reality, it is not Eritrea, but the US along with its surrogate state
of Ethiopia that has been aggravating the situation in Somalia by
continuously intervening on behalf of its hand picked "Government" which
was created by foreigners in a foreign country. But that is for the
Somali people to sort it out. However, it is imperative that the Somali
people be left alone without the meddling of outside forces including
Ethiopia and the US. The Somalis are capable of solving their own
problems.
As to the futile attempt to present Eritrea as what it is not will
neither help solve the Somali issue nor will it contribute any solutions
to the problems of the Horn volatile region. Eritrea has a clear
conscience and is not concerned of false allegations thrown at her by
arrogant and chauvinist forces who are venting their frustrations on
their failed and ill-conceived adventurism in Somalia and the Horn
region.
Be as it may, however, continually and unrealistically bashing Eritrea
is tantamount to "Wagging the dog" by making Eritrea the scapegoat for
US unscrupulous actions! While the US knows very well that it is
Ethiopia that has broken all kinds of international norms by its actions
in the entire Horn region, for Washington to give it a blind eye and
accuse Eritrea of things Eritrea hasnīt done instead is blasphemous and
places a big doubt to the moral integrity of any nation let alone the
only remaining Superpower!
While, no doubt, Somalia is awash with weapons, based on the daily
carnage that we have come to see, to demand Eritrea to "Stop providing
weapons" to any group in Somalia is barking at the wrong tree indeed;
and as such, the State Department intentions must be something else
other that what they appear to be.
The US has to show the moral authority by practicing what the American
Founding Fathers stood for and saliently inscribed in the political holy
book, known as the Constitution of the United States of America, rather
than waste its time in diatribe against a country that has done nothing
wrong against the US or its interests. In fact, if there was any country
in that God forsaken Horn region, it is Eritrea that has been
consistently and selflessly yearning to live in peace with all its
neighbors in a mutually conducive and beneficial environment where
everyone would come as a winner. That is the truth despite the negative
media campaigns that have been intentionally and maliciously conceived
by Ethiopia and spread like wild fire by the likes of Martin Plaut of
the BBC for reasons that are known to him.
Madam Secretary, unless one is willing to "Call a spade a spade", then I
am afraid this endless rhetoric against a country, which has done
nothing wrong is going to lead us in a vicious circle of recrimination,
which would not help the Somali problem we all would like to be resolved
once and for all!.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on ME.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/113236
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